"With the three big backs, that was an important piece for how we want to play, vertically and downhill, and how we want to play the offense that we are gradually getting to," coach Brady Hoke said last week. "Wyatt is a guy who is very multiple in what he can do. He can line up in the single back if you want to run some inside zone, he can knock people off the ball, he can be a short-yardage guy and he can catch the ball well.

"I think with Derrick and De'Veon, you have two very physical runners. Both of them have very good instincts, good vision and good balance. They can break tackles. That's something we felt we needed."

Michigan is moving to a power-run scheme, after deploying the spread to varying degrees since 2008, and is searching for a back to feature in it. But it wants options, too.

Longtime running backs coach Fred Jackson said it already feels like the old days, when he had multiple power backs at his disposal every year.

"To me, it's a full return (to the old days)," he said. "Like when I had (Tyrone) Wheatley and (Tim) Biakabatuka and Jesse Johnson together (in 1993), and (Chris) Perry and the guys with him. I always had two or three guys that were 220-pound guys, and that makes a big difference in November -- it really does. You watch those late games in November and see how those guys (react to power runners).

"Watch the national championship game, and see how Notre Dame reacts to tackling two big 230-pounders, and see who got hit. And those are the things that mean a lot."

Jackson was referring to Alabama's Eddie Lacy (6-1, 220 pounds) and T.J. Yeldon (6-2, 216 pounds), who pounded Notre Dame for 248 yards on 41 carries in a 42-14 win in the national championship game.

He said Michigan's backs won't have the luxury of running behind a line as dominant as Alabama's, but its backs fit that mold.

Smith is a bruising back who was ranked by Scout as the No. 3 player coming out of Ohio, and the No. 1 tailback. The 5-11, 218-pounder from Warren has been overshadowed a bit by Green's late commitment, but could be a candidate to receive carries as soon as this season.

"I can compare him to someone like a Chris Howard-type back," Jackson said. "That's a real tough runner. He's a physical runner. He's not a 4.4 guy or anything like that, but he's a real tough runner.

"I’ll tell you what I like about De’Veon: He gets angry when you hit him. It pisses him off when you hit him, and he just runs harder and harder after he gets hit. He’s a contact-frenzy kind of guy. It’s like he strives for contact."

Shallman isn't considered to be as strong of a prospect as Smith, but he's even bigger. The Detroit Catholic Central standout is listed at 6-3, 245 pounds, and reminds Jackson of John Riggins -- who was nicknamed "The Diesel" for his rugged running style.

"Wyatt is just a big-bang guy -- someone who, when it's third-and-1 or fourth-and-1, and you may not block it good, he can still get the yards," Jackson said.

Green is the face of the group, featuring a unique blend of power and speed that is expected to give him a shot at playing time as soon as he steps on campus.